The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-08-26

of the tree; usually her movements were
most graceful, but to-day the short, fiappy
dress persisted in catching on the tops of her
big shoes, in a most awkward manner.
"Why, papa, are you tired of us, that
you get away by yourself?" she asked,
sweetly, as she curled down by his side;
meanwhile tue gentlemen had risen, and,
looking at each otEer with Mortified faces,
had beaten a precipitate retreat.
"No, Kitty; no, he replied, in an I'M
usually gentle tone, aud placing a caress-
ing hand on the trim waist, "but | am
thinking, so run away dear, please, and
Kitty wisely obeyed.
Yes, he was thinking, and his train of
thought was on a new line, as he pondered
over and over the words he had heard, and.
somehow, as he weighed his merry daugh-
tiers, with their pretty. winsome ways,
and their gentle mother in the balance with
his long bank account, the money side
grew wonderfully light. and he thought
with a shudder Of what the world would
be to him with ever one Of the loved ones
taken from him.
"'Stingy old BEAR that just describes
it, he said to himself, as he looked back
over the many contests, in which the very
least which could be made to supply the
family wants had been grudgingly given,
only too frequently, with bitter words
which made the giving worse than a char
ity.
Hasn't this been a most delightful day,
papa?" said Polly, who escorted her father
home from the train.
eyes" assented Mr.. Harrison, soberly,
and a most profitable one Also . and he
meant his words, most sincerely.
II don't think So. said Kitty, as they
were entering the gate, ''for | have a hor-
rible green grass stain right on the hem of
my dress, and | shall have to put in a new
breadth before l can wear it to the party"
and Mr.. Harrison bit his lip at the ~alluslon
to their compact, but said nothing.
"Poor papa; he was so ashamed of u.s."
said Kitty, as the girls retired to their
bed, actually, Nell, l never was so sorry
for any one in my life"
''Girls, " said Mr.. Harrison, the next
morning at breakfast, didn't hear you
say something about a party to which you
had been invited?'' with an innocent air of
inquiring for information.
SAT Mrs. Lineoln's, perhaps you mean,'
replied Nell, falling IN with his conceit and
willing to ignore the past.
"You may need a little pin money for
the OCCASION" he continued, taking a roll
of bills from his pocket-book, and care
lessly Tipping one toward the plate of each
of his daughters, land presume a trile
of spending money wouldn't come amiss
with your MOTHER he continued, as he
laid a bill beside his wife's plate, and hur-
ried away before the astonished family
could thank him for such a remarkable
performance.
cone hundred dollarsl' said Polly. in an
awc-struck tone as she gazed at her bill in
amazement.
sfAnd mine is two hundred" said the
little mother, with actual tears in her hap
py eyes.
''That means that the new silk which
you have needed so long is to be forth
coming at once" said Nell, patting her
own bill with loving fingers.
'And for once we are going to have
party dresses, without one shred of econ
omy stitched into them!' said Kitty, get
ting up, and dancing such a spirited
pirouette in her delight, that the parrot
wagged her head in wonder, as she shrilly
inquired in her favorite phrase: 'Bless
mel what ails the child?'-F. IT. Hoaoard,
in tie Current.